Similar-shaped meat cakes not made from ground beef may also be called "burger": "turkey burgers" or "fishburgers" may be made from reshaped mechanically separated meat. Sometimes burgers are breaded. Veggie burger patties are made without meat, often of soy, but also of other mixed vegetables (beans being one popular non-soy base).[1]

In Ireland, traditional chippers often serve batter burger (a beef-based patty dipped in batter and deep fried) or spice burger (a savory patty made with a proprietary recipe of meats and spices).[2] These are served in a greaseproof paper bag and eaten with the hands.

In India, a patty may refer to either a vegetarian (potato for example) or non-vegetarian (chicken, meat etc.) burger filling, or to a sweet or savory puff pastryturnover which is a common street food in many parts of the country.[3][4]

With mass-produced patties, it is not uncommon to find them with seemingly abnormal shapes or a bumpy perimeter. These groove-like bumps are caused by the machine that forms the patties. They are used in production to keep the patties in line, so they will not fall off the assembly line, and can be manipulated by the various machines. In other boxed patties, small punctures can be seen in the top and bottom sides of the patty. These punctures are there for similar reasons.